Kazakhstan’s national holiday ― the Day of Unity of Kazakh People ― celebrates diverse nationalities and ethnicities that peacefully coexist in Kazakhstan.

The country has more than 130 ethnic groups and nationalities ― Kazakh, Russian, Uzbek, Ukrainian, Tatar, Uyghur, German, Azeri and Belarusian ― including some 100,000 third- and fourth-generation ethnic Koreans who were deported to Central Asia from Soviet Union in the 1930s.

They did not relocate based on their own will, but were driven by Soviet political repression and persecution. Kazakhstan has hosted 1.5 million refugees from Russia and other satellite regions since the early 20th century.

The holiday, celebrated since 1996, replaced the Soviet International Workers’ Day, which paid tribute to communist laborers.

To mark the event in Korea, the Kazakh Student Association in Korea, in collaboration with the Kazakh Embassy, organized performances of traditional Kazakh songs, dance and games at Yeouido Park in Seoul on May 2.

Adilkhan Kopabayev, a student at Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology majoring in urban infrastructure engineering, said that some 30 Kazakh students from all over Korea spent two weeks in preparation.

The student organization has an international alliance for sharing knowledge and building connection for Kazakhstan. “We are the future of Kazakhstan, so we want to be together,” Kopabayev told The Korea Herald.

He added, “Communicating with Kazakh students all around the world and gaining knowledge and experience are my top priorities.”

Kazakh students like studying and living in Korea, he said, because the education is one of the best in Asia. Korea and Singapore are models for the development of the Kazakh economy, Kopabayev said.

They are as ambitious and motivated, and student exchanges will benefit both sides by enhancing cultural awareness, he stressed.

“I am very glad that Korea gave us opportunities to study here. I received a scholarship from my university, and we are welcomed here,” he said. “Kazakh and Korean peoples share similar cultures, but I think it’s OK for Koreans to open their hearts a little more toward foreigners.”

Kazakh people are patriotic, because they witnessed the sweeping change of the country’s development under the leadership of President Nursultan Nazarbayev over the last 25 years.

People from different backgrounds, races and cultures peacefully coexist in Kazakhstan, there is little inter-ethnic discrimination or tension, he added.

Kopabayev explained that the community spirit was particularly high during the communist times; his parents used to shelter and feed poor and hungry strangers who came to town regardless of ethnicity.

The principles of equality and national self-expression are guaranteed legally in Kazakhstan, while respect for cultures are safeguarded through ethnic language schools, religious institutions, cultural centers, media outlets and political parties.

The Kazakh Embassy explained that inter-ethnic peace ― essential for social stability and sustainability ― were enforced through policy.

Ulanbek Aueskhan, Kopabayev’s school colleague, majoring in nuclear engineering, told The Korea Herald that Kazakhstan needed technological know-how to turn its rich reserves of natural resources, such as petroleum, natural gas and minerals, into energy and products.

“Kazakh students can get scientific and technological knowledge from Korea as well as cultural understanding,” he said.

“After studying here, we will go back to Kazakhstan to lay the bridge for future cooperation through trade, investment, research and development.”

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)